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NASB | 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the [blast of the] trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. |
Subject: Before or after the return of Christ? |
Bible Note: David 24597, It looks like you are getting the rapture of the church, the second advent, and other things mixed up. I am not going to take the time to prove and document every point I make here, (believe me it would take a book), but will just give you a brief summary of future events as I have been taught and believe to be correct. Here is my view. The next prophetical event in history is the rapture of the church. Christ does not touch the ground but we are taken up to meet Him in the air. When this will occur, no one knows. It could be soon or a thousand years from now. Soon after the rapture of the church the tribulation occurs. The church is delivered from the tribulation, "the wrath to come", Rom. 5:9, 1 Thes. 1:10, 1 Thes. 5:9. While the tribulation is taking place on the earth, the church is being evaluated for rewards in Heaven at the Judgment Seat of Christ. At the end of the tribulation the second advent of Christ occurs (the Church returns with Him). This time He touches ground at the Mount of Olives and destroys those who are attacking the City of Jerusalem. Next is the Baptism of Fire in which all unbelievers are cast off the earth along with the demons, and Satan is bound and imprisoned until the end of the millennium. Only believers in Christ remain on the earth to begin the millennium. (This is a direct parallel to what occurred at Noah's Flood, where humanity was so corrupt that only eight believers remained and were delivered to start the next civilization.) With Satan and the demonic realm out of the way, Christ reigns over the earth. The curse of the Fall is removed from mankind and nature, and perfect environment (like the Garden of Eden) is restored. The lion lies down with the lamb, no more war, long life spans, no poverty, no hunger, no disease etc. At the end of the millennium Satan is freed. He immediately organizes a revolt against Christ. By this time the population of the earth is made up of both believers and unbelievers. The unbelievers join Satan's revolt. But Christ puts it down. Then comes the Great White Throne Judgment of all unbelievers. (Satan and the fallen angels (demons) were tried, condemned and sentenced to the Lake of Fire before the creation of the human race. The sentence was not carried out at that time but postponed). Satan, the fallen angels, all unbelievers are cast into the Lake of Fire for all eternity. God destroys the existing universe and creates a new heavens and a new earth, and the eternal state begins. Here are a few millennial passages you might like to read: Isa. 35:1-10 Isa. 65:18-25 Zech. 9:9-10 Rev. 20:1-10 Pemican |